WOMEN'S weekly income was half of men's last year despite a slight improvement over the previous 12 months, according to a new report.

Average income for all women, including those working part time or from home, was &#xA3;145 a week in 2001/2, half the figure of &#xA3;287 for men.

Women's weekly income compared to men has increased from 46pc in 1996/7 to 49pc in 2000/1 and again to 50pc in 2001/2.

Around 40pc of all women had income of less than &#xA3;100 a week in the latest period compared with less than a fifth of men.

Women with full time jobs had average incomes of &#xA3;309 a week in 2001/2, 78pc of that for men, according to the figures, released by the Department of Trade and Industry.

Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt said: "It is a well known fact that women's income declines after they have children because they are either forced out of the labour market due to the lack of workplace flexibility or have to take less skilled jobs to work family friendly hours.

"That is why our approach to helping women is all about choice."

Union leaders said the new figures showed that more needed to be done to close the pay gap, which stands at 19pc on hourly pay rates.

"The fact that there is a 50pc difference in the income of men and women is unacceptable," said Roger Lyons, joint general secretary of Amicus.

Caroline Slocock, Chief Executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission, said: "This staggeringly large gap is not going to go away until Britain tackles the low pay most women still receive for the work they do."